Leaves crackled underfoot as I headed to the fitting for the girls. Nal m'se was too old to make the journey, so Ul m'ka came instead. Sa k'u traveled with us, though I wasn't sure why. I could easily fit her back in the mountains. When I asked Nal m'se, she said it was for diplomacy's sake. Ix k'eh and Ohl k'in accompanied us, for Nal m'se insisted that she would feel safe about the journey, unless we had two male warriors escort us. 

We had finally arrived at the forest, so close to the destination after three days of walking. Conversation had ceased within the first day of the journey. The silence was good, though. It allowed me to listen to nature, to connect with the meadows and forests we passed through. Besides, I didn't want to be verbally attacked again by Ul m'ka, or deal with bratty Sa k'u.

Ul m'ka's two children, Sa k'u and Ix k'eh, stayed close to Ul m'ka, like they were purposefully trying to stay away from me. Ohl k'in stayed in the middle, but walked slightly more to the side of his friend, Ix k'eh. I wasn't sure why they disliked me so much. Ul m'ka must have told them to stay away from me, but I couldn't figure out why. I'd never done anything to hurt them, yet Ul m'ka continually uses every moment that she's around me to make my life miserable. The more I thought about it, the more disparaged I became. I forced those thoughts out of my head, and tried to focus again on the beauty surrounding me. No need to think about Ul m'ka right now, when she clearly had no interest in bothering me.

The towering stones finally came into view. My feet staggered, my body's way of signaling that it was exhausted from the journey. I had been carrying three bags full of the fabric to go underneath the dresses. I was going to make the cotton undergarment the way the girls wanted it, then add the light on top. That way, I wouldn't have to worry about ruining the light on the trip. Besides, light on bare skin for extended periods of time could burn the girls. The only downside was that cotton was much heavier than light. My arms burned, and my legs ached, but I pressed onward.

As usual, the Alkses were waiting for us to arrive. Fairuza sat upon her stone throne, tall and dignified. Her long, black dress draped elegantly on her, and a large blue crown, although slightly over-sized for her head, still added a powerful note to her look. Lachina stood right beside her in a knee length, turquoise dress that cinched at her waist. Behind stood a boy about Lachina's age, who stood abnormally close and blew on Lachina's neck. Lachina giggled and reached behind her to poke his arm. Fairuza either did not notice or ignored their flirting.

On the other side of the clearing, Abarra and Taavi made their way towards the stones. Abarra waved at us with a warm smile. In comparison to everyone else gathered, they looked quite simple in their brown, cotton gowns.

"I see you are late, again," Fairuza chided passive-aggressively. "Tell me, should we continue to hope that you show up at the correct time?"

"We actually didn't set a time," Ul m'ka quipped smoothly. "We simply decided that we would meet on the day of the next full moon. Well, we're all here."

Fairuza huffed, trying not to show defeat. "Well let's get on with it."

Ul m'ka turned to me, trying to suppress a scowl. "OK, start fitting the dresses."

I nodded, pulling out cotton fabric and thread to line the inside of the dresses. "Who wants to go first?"

"Either Taavi or Lachina," Fairuza declared. "Then, if we run out of time due to certain people's tardiness, you can just fit Sa k'u's dress when you return to your tribe."

"I will go first," Lachina volunteered, strutting over to me.

"OK," I said, feeling awkward with all the attention being on me. I wished so badly that Leu could be here to help me. Nevertheless, I picked up a cotton dress and handed it to her. "Put this on."

Lachina pinched the fabric in front of her with two fingers, wrinkling her nose. "What's this? The dress is supposed to be made of moonlight!"

"It will," I assured her. "This is just for the lining. Having light sit directly on your skin could burn you. Now why don't you change over there in the woods?"

Lachina changed quickly. When she returned, I asked her to stand on a small rock so I could begin to fit the dress. I racked my brain to remember Leu's instructions for how to tailor a dress. Once again, I found myself wishing for her presence. Enough of this, Celisae! I forced myself to focus on the task at hand. I picked up a needle and carefully tried to thread it. For some reason, it was so much harder than I remembered. Why did the eye of the needle have to be so tiny? The thread kept missing the opening. How embarrassing! If I couldn't even thread a needle, how could I make the dresses? I held the needle up to the light and squinted.

"I want the dress to be tight," Lachina instructed. I snapped out of my thoughts, nearly poking myself.

"I'm sorry?" I said, trying to bring myself back to reality.

"Like tight-tight," she stated, winking at the boy by Fairuza.

"You want the dress to be tight," I repeated, turning to Fairuza.

"Whatever she wants," Fairuza proclaimed. OK, then. I set to work on the dress once I got the thread through the needle, trimming and sewing the cotton so that it was form fitting. The sun was just beginning to set when I finished her dress. I had just enough time to get another dress done. I rejoiced inside, for the sooner we finished, the sooner I could get home.

"How's that?" I asked her, hoping that she wouldn't make me do anything else.

"I want a slit in the dress," Lachina declared.

 "A slit?" I said, trying not to show my deflating hopes.

"Give her whatever she wants," Fairuza called out. "If she wants a slit, make her a slit!"

"Alright," I said, although somewhat reluctant. I took a sharpened rock and carefully cut the fabric until just below her knee.

"Higher," Lachina said. I took the rock and cut it to her knee.

"Higher," Lachina commanded. I cut a little higher. 

"Higher," Lachina said. "Higher!" This continued until the slit went up to mid-thigh.

"Perfect!" Lachina exclaimed. Inside, I grimaced at how high the slit was, but at least I wasn't going to be wearing the dress. I paused for a moment to mentally rest from all the tailoring. Big mistake.

"I want the neckline lower, and I want it to be sleeveless," she customized. I dutifully did what she told me to, despite my reservations. By the time we were done, the sun had completely set in the sky. It was too late to continue the dresses, so we ended up staying the night in the forest. The others slept in the clearing with their tribe, but I chose a spot at the far edge of the clearing, as far away from everyone else as possible. I placed my fabric and thread at my feet, and used a pile of leaves on a rock for a pillow. I went to sleep instantly when I lay down.

I woke just as the sun's rays began peeking out from the horizon. When I became fully conscious, the smell of meat cooking over a fire greeted me. My stomach growled, reminding me that I had barely eaten anything in the past few days. I didn't want to seem like a burden to Ul m'ka, so I only ate the scraps no one wanted from the game that Ix k'eh and Ohl k'in caught. Fortunately, the others began to rouse around the same time, meaning that I could eat soon.

We ate a simple breakfast of rabbit meat and wild berries, which the boys had collected early in the morning. When we finished the meal, Lachina said:

"Actually I think that I made the dress a little bit too low." Everyone except Fairuza stiffened at the thought of going through another session with Lachina.

"I'll remember that when I'm making your dress," I quickly informed her. "Right now, I need to fit Taavi."

I searched the clearing for Taavi, hoping she'd come quickly to prevent Lachina from taking up any more time. I spotted her across the clearing, gazing abstractedly at the sky. 

"Taavi," Abarra called, seeming to ignore her lack of awareness. Taavi didn't so much as bat an eye, her face craned toward something in the distant heavens. Abarra crossed the clearing to get her, gently pulling her to where I was fitting the girls. Taavi shifted her gaze to the ground as Abarra lifted her onto the rock that Lachina had stood on. Taavi always seemed to be fascinated by something. Her patient observations would probably make her good at finding light, I thought. Unless, of course, she wasn't observing things.

"Um, Taavi, um, how would you like your dress," I said, somehow feeling more uncomfortable with her than with Lachina. Taavi slowly lifted her head until her stare rested on my face. I almost wished she had continued to look at the ground. Her stare was penetrating, like she was reading me like an open book. I shifted my weight. This is so awkward!

At last, Taavi opened her mouth to speak. "A bird does not need feathers to sing beautifully," she told me, like repeating an age old proverb. Maybe her tribe would get the reference, but I did not.

"So.... you don't care how the dress looks?" I confirmed, making sure that she actually did not care what the final product was. Her answer left quite a bit up to interpretation, for all I knew she could be saying that she wants her dress to mimic a featherless bird.

Taavi shifted her gaze from my face, fixing it off in the distance. She raised an outstretched arm and pointed. Everyone turned to see what her attention was on now. Her finger was trained on one of the trees.

"The trees," she said. I waited for her to continue. The others glanced at each other, wondering why she always acted in such a strange manner.

"What about them?" I prompted.

"The trees lose their leaves every year, yet they are still beautiful," she spoke, returning her gaze to me. I still felt a little lost.

"I think she'll be fine with whatever design you come up with," Abarra interjected. I nodded, grateful to have some form of guidance regarding Taavi's dress.

I set to work on her dress. I decided that her dress would be shorter, a little bit past the knee, and would be very puffy in the skirt. There would be one sleeve on her right side. I felt that doing a slightly more unconventional style might represent her personality well. I finished her very quickly since she had little input on the dress. I was done before the sun had even risen completely overhead.

"Alright, I'm done," I announced to Abarra. Abarra rushed over from where she had been talking with the other women.

"My, this is far nicer than any clothes that we have back in our tribe," Abarra remarked. She walked all around Taavi. The girl stood on the rock completely stoic. "And it's going to be made of sunlight, too. It's almost too good to be true!" Abarra felt the fabric. "Oh! It's so soft! Our cotton is so much harsher, what did you do to get it like that?"

"We use a variety of cotton that specially grows in the mountains. It is much finer than normal cotton," I explained. I saw Ul m'ka get up and approach us. I tensed, hoping she wasn't about to snap at me for something.

"Yes," Ul m'ka said pleasantly, to my relief. "The cotton grown in the mountains is much nicer. We would be happy to trade some with you at the next meeting."

"Oh, no!" Fairuza exclaimed as she joined the conversation. "You don't want that. Our cotton is much more durable. The mountain cotton will fall into tatters within a month or two. Our cotton will be able to last the harsh lifestyle that you have as hunters. Besides, it's warmer for the cold nights that the deserts have."

"But it is rather rough on my skin," Abarra commented, feeling Taavi's dress again.

"Yes, and you have animal skins to keep you warm during the nights," Ul m'ka mentioned. "And it is just as durable as the Alkse's cotton." Ul m'ka and Fairuza shot fiery glares at each other.

"Well, we'll have to hold a vote on it when I get back," Abarra promised, trying to maintain the peace. "Why don't we get Sa k'u's dress fitted now? I am very happy with Taavi's dress, right Taavi?"

Taavi inspected a split end in her long, golden hair. 

"Taavi?" Abarra said, her confidence in her daughter waning.

Taavi looked up at her mother. "The flowers of the meadows do not care what color they are." I was beginning to think that she only spoke when she thought of a loosely related metaphor to compare the situation with. But, I still tried not to judge. My mother told me to never judge people since I'll usually never know their situation. I know, it's so cliche, but I still try to live as best as I can by that motto.

"Your turn Sa k'u," Ul m'ka called out. Sa k'u strolled over and stood on the rock, once Taavi had stepped down.

"What would you like the dress to be like?" I asked her. Despite how rude she and her mother had been to me, I still spoke with kindness.

"I want it to be big," she informed me. "I want the dress to puff out and have tons of layers. I want the sleeves to be short, and hang slightly off the shoulder."

I nodded dutifully, and once again tailored a dress. If I am able to make these dresses, I think I can make anything, I mused. I'd barely even done any sewing, yet here I was, making a blueprint for a dress that people were actually pleased with. I ended up finishing the dress just around mid-sun. Ul m'ka approved it, and inside I sighed with relief. I was done! And in just a few days, I'd be home. I longed to be back in the clear, mountain air.

"We can all head back now," Ul m'ka announced. "Thank you all for coming to the fitting. The dresses will be revealed five full moons from now."

"Alright, let's go," Fairuza agreed, motioning to Lachina. She turned to me, her expression hardening. "I will only accept the absolute best work from you. You'd better make sure that the dress turns out exactly as my daughter wants it." Lachina nodded firmly for emphasis. 

I ducked my head. "Yes," I said. When I looked up, I was met with Ul m'ka's stern expression. Thankfully, the attention shifted from me as the two women spoke together about trade goods.

Someone reached out and touched my arm. I jumped, not expecting Abarra to be there. "Thank you," she said sincerely, though barely audible. "For all you have done. The dresses will be lovely, pay no mind to what the others say. Deep down, I'm sure that they will love the dresses no matter what happens. They're just mad because a lowly girl like you has such a special gift."

I beamed. "Thank you."

"Come along, Celisae," Ul m'ka commanded. She was halfway across the clearing. I raced to catch up, but it was difficult since I carried all the fabric for the dresses.

"Let me carry that," Ix k'eh offered. He didn't wait for a response, simply taking one of the sacks out of my hands. Ohl k'in picked up one as well.

"Thanks," I said, grateful to not have so much to carry. Ul m'ka pursed her lips, but at least she didn't say anything. The journey back would hopefully be much easier now that some of the weight had been lifted.